Contact us
Home › The C&I Corner: Your Guide to Tax Credits & Incentives

Insights & Resources

The C&I Corner: Your Guide to Tax Credits & Incentives

Two professionals in business attire sort through a tall stack of documents on a wooden desk, clipping pink folders

Filed under

Explore the latest guidance on U.S. tax credits and incentives.

Tax credits and incentives (C&I) remain a key planning area for businesses across industries.

The C&I Corner, FD’s resource center for C&I, brings together key insights, industry applications and real-world results to help your business identify opportunities and maximize available savings.

Table of Contents

Understanding Today’s Credit & Incentive Landscape

How have recent tax law changes impacted R&D and energy credits?

Recent tax law changes under H.R. 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), have reshaped how businesses approach R&D and energy‑related tax incentives, most notably by restoring immediate expensing for domestic research costs and reinforcing a policy focus on U.S.-based innovation.

Article

Big Changes for R&D Tax Breaks: What the One Big Beautiful Bill Means for Innovators

The 2025 tax bill brings back full R&D deductions and doubles credits for small businesses. Find out what’s changing and how you can benefit.

Read more

Video

R&D Tax Changes Under the H.R.1., One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Explore the key updates to Section 174 under H.R.1. Learn how these changes impact energy credits, small businesses, and strategic tax planning.

Watch on demand

Narrowing Window for Energy Efficiency Incentives

Two key energy incentives are now sunsetting sooner:

  • Section 179D (commercial energy‑efficient buildings)
  • Section 45L (energy‑efficient residential construction)

Projects must meet stricter timing requirements, with expiration tied to 2026 deadlines, making proactive planning critical.

Article

Act Now: Section 179D and 45L Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives Set to Expire in 2026

Section 179D and 45L energy efficiency tax incentives are set to expire under the OBBBA in 2026. Learn the key deadlines and what taxpayers and contractors should know.

Read more

Renewed R&D Opportunities for Startups

Explore how recent legislative changes places start-ups back at the center of America’s R&D engine.

Article

Start-Ups Returning to R&D Tax Credit: Opportunities Under OBBBA

Learn how start-ups can maximize R&D tax credits under OBBBA. Explore strategies, retroactive benefits and opportunities to boost cash flow and innovation.

Read more

R&D Tax Credits: Who Qualifies

Many businesses qualify for the R&D Tax Credit and related incentives when they develop new products, improve processes, invest in automation, software, energy efficiency or experiment to reduce cost, waste or technical uncertainty across industries.

Industry-Specific C&I Opportunities

Manufacturing & Industrial Operations

Companies in manufacturing and industrial sectors may qualify for R&D tax credits through product and prototype development, production process improvements, custom equipment design, automation and robotics, materials testing and efforts to meet complex performance or regulatory requirements.

Software & Technology

Software and technology companies often qualify through the development of new applications or platforms, enhancements to existing software, internal use software development, cloud and data infrastructure work and technical problem solving that requires experimentation and testing.

Article

Maximizing R&D Tax Credits for Software Development Companies

In today’s competitive software development landscape, companies invest in R&D to innovate and maintain a competitive edge. However, many overlook the valuable financial opportunity of R&D tax credits.

Read more
Life Sciences & Healthcare

Life sciences companies may have qualifying R&D activities related to drug development, formulation improvements, clinical and laboratory testing, manufacturing process innovation, automation and regulatory driven product or process enhancements.

Food & Beverage, Agriculture

Businesses in food, beverage and agriculture may qualify through new product formulation, ingredient testing, shelf life extension, automation, irrigation and equipment development, fermentation experiments, sustainability initiatives and efforts to improve yield, consistency and efficiency.

Article

Recent Tax Court Case Clarifies R&D Credit Eligibility in Agriculture

A U.S. Tax Court case (George v. Commissioner) clarifies R&D tax credit eligibility in agriculture and underscores strict documentation requirements.

Read more
Energy & Natural Resources

Companies operating in energy and natural resources may qualify for R&D credits when developing or improving production methods, extraction or generation technologies, engineered materials, environmental impact reduction processes, energy efficiency improvements or waste and byproduct reduction strategies.

Retail & Consumer

Textile and apparel businesses may qualify through the development of new or improved fabrics, performance and durability testing, sustainable material innovation, automation of manufacturing processes and efforts to reduce waste or improve production efficiency.

State-Level C&I Incentives

Many states offer their own R&D credits, creating layered opportunities for qualifying businesses.

Article

Oregon Enacts New Refundable R&D Tax Credit for Semiconductor Research

Oregon’s R&D tax credit is available to qualifying companies conducting semiconductor research within the state and will remain in place through January 1, 2030.

Read more

Article

Michigan’s R&D Tax Credit and Innovation Fund

In 2025, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law a series of bills that introduce an R&D Tax Credit and establish the Michigan Innovation Fund. This legislation provides significant incentives for businesses to invest in R&D within the state.

Read more

Explore What’s Available to You

As the tax landscape continues to evolve, a proactive review can help ensure you’re making the most of available credits and incentives.

Reach out to our C&I team to explore what may apply to your business.

Talk to a specialist

Contributors

Tommy Zavieh, Partner, Frazier & Deeter Advisory, LLC

Sheila R. Anderson, Partner, Frazier & Deeter Advisory, LLC

Allen Tobin, Principal, Frazier & Deeter Advisory, LLC

Explore related insights

Explore Insights & Resources